Aldnoah()Odyssey
by Schrodinger's Kat
Summary: Far in the future, Princess Asseylum of Mars embarks as the sole human occupant on a year-long voyage to the planet Earth. But as she discovers, on the first ship of its class Aldnoah, you need never be truly alone. (SciFi!AU, AsseylumXSlaine, SeylumXInaho) (To see the sky for what it is / You have to trip and fall. / Is it best to love and lose / Or never love at all?)
1. Breathless

I do not own Aldnoah Zero, or any other existing referenced works. I also do not represent any of the "scientific" explanations to be correct in any way (Especially the ones that are made up ;) I recommend looking up anything that interests you! Check out that thing about magnetic fields, solar wind, and atmospheres for instance - there was an interesting article about that interaction on Mars). Author's note at end.

A/O/A/O/A/O

-Breath/less-

"Say, tutor?"

"Yes, Princess Asseylum?"

"It really is beautiful, isn't it? Our Mars."

The girl whirled gracefully from the porthole's view she had been contemplating, and turned to face the interior of the compact starship. Her long, light loose hair billowed about the hands she clasped behind her back. She bobbed in place consideringly and asked, "What do you think, tutor?"

"I am afraid I have no opinion to offer you, princess." The words, while apologetic, were certain and unafraid. "As you are aware, I am merely equipped to offer you the collected information available for your education, as your onboard tutoring program. As such, I can recommend many persons who share your view of Mars. The famed Earth musician Gustav Holst composed a suite inspired by Mars, and several painters -"

Asseylum laughed, already grown familiar with this routine, though not tired of it. She hoped never to grow weary of her sole companion, incorporeal as he was, for the duration of her long journey. "Thank you, but we still have to form some opinions together, you and I! But it's not fair. You already call me by name, though more formally than I would like."

"It is the title I have been programmed to use."

Asseylum smiled wryly. "You did meet me under that name. And I find it awkward to suddenly change the names of friends. Is it the same for you?"

"As you know, princess, as a program I have no preference."

Asseylum knew the self-abnegating reticence she heard was merely her imagination. As it informed her himself earlier, her disembodied A.I. tutor's voice was merely a product of advanced lingual protocols and a talented vocal source. She pushed forward anyway. "In that case, what should I call you? 'Tutor' is only a placeholder. As we seem to have skipped becoming formally acquainted, I'm afraid you shall have to introduce yourself."

"Certainly, princess. I am the Saazbaum Corporation's Troyard Educational Software for 11th Form with Expanded Earth Curriculum 2014 version, mark II. Pleased to meet you, Princess Asseylum vers Allusia."

"Likewise! But that name… isn't that your model?"

"Yes, princess."

"So, there are replacements with that exact same model designation, correct?"

"Of course, princess."

"That won't do. We are the only two to have witnessed this view of Mars together from this window. We share memories now. You're irreplaceable to me. There must be some particular name or number, just for you?"

"I suppose there is my product identification number, princess."

"And what is that?"

"It is 51A1N3, princess."

"51A1N3… 'Slaine'. Is it alright if I call you Slaine?"

"As you wish, princess."

Asseylum was less sure this time that had she imagined the awed emotion in Slaine's voice.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Good morning, Princess Asseylum. Are you ready for today's lessons?"

"Good morning, Slaine!" Asseylum beamed at the soft blue glow that always accompanied the voice. She span slowly, taking care to omit no unobtrusive surface from her greeting. "I'm ready!"

"Very good, princess. What topic would you like to begin with today?"

She ran her hand gently over the panels arranged meticulously on every spare surface in the cozy vessel. 51A1N3's calm cerulean hue coated both her pale arm and the entire ship, which pulsated with an inner light of its own. "This ship, if you please, Slaine," the girl decided finally.

"Certainly, princess. This ship, the Aldnoah, is the first of its kind to be used for human interworld travel. It is notable for the fact that after breaking free of the departure planet's gravitational influence, the Aldnoah can travel between worlds without any additional use of transported fuel. Using a combination of photovoltaic capture, thermoelectric potential between the bright and dark side of the vessel, and static generated by solar wind, the Aldnoah can power its own highly efficient systems, such as navigational controls, sensory equipment, and low-range communications. The ship even can harvest the energy emitted by its occupants, released as heat and sound from normal motions. Under normal conditions, this is sufficient to provide power for the entire life support system."

"That's amazing. The ship provides me with the means to survive in space, and in turn I can give it the power to continue protecting me," Asseylum mused, admiring the poetical symmetry of the constant exchange.

"It is advanced technology, princess," 51A1N3 rejoined, its words speeding together eagerly. "My model of educational software was designed especially for this ship, and includes the ability to interface with all systems in order to care for you, Princess Asseylum, as the passenger. The ship also includes a completely redundant protocol that communicates with all systems, except for mine. Our lack of interfacing and overlap of administrative abilities ensures that if even if one of us were to be compromised, which is extremely unlikely, the other would be able to maintain the ship's spaceworthiness. We each relinquish control to the other every twelve standard hours, thus retesting our functionality continuously throughout the voyage."

"What an ingenious plan. Someone took great care in designing you, Slaine," Asseylum responded gently.

"I have been designed to ensure your greatest possible safety, Princess Asseylum. I will not allow any harm to come to you under my care," 51A1N3 promised her fervently. The all-encompassing glow, surrounding her like a soft warm blanket throughout his twelve-hour watch, burned a brighter blue with the strength of the pledge.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Today, Slaine, would it be alright to learn more about the planet Earth?"

51A1N3 could not fathom why Asseylum continued to request her lesson topics so deferentially. She never asked for any data beyond her clearance level, and its vocal patterns had been selected to sound like her peer in age and upbringing, if not status. 51A1N3 was more than ready to provide any information at its disposal to assist her. It could only try to express its willingness through attentiveness and alacrity in answering her requests.

"Certainly, princess. The Earth, the original class M planet, is currently considered the location of humanity's origin. It is uniquely situated in the known universe with the right gravitational, chemical, magnetic, and directional properties to support human life. For instance, the presence of oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements, combined with a narrow band of temperatures derived from its distance to the sun, path of orbit and angle of rotation, along with a protective magnetic field to defend against the ravages of solar wind, allow Earth to maintain an atmosphere of the correct density, thermal insularity and radiation shielding for humans to thrive."

Asseylum studied the holographic display of Earth's sky seriously. Surveying it from all angles, she remained silent, drinking in the new information. "It looks beautiful. It's very different from the terraforming on Mars, but somehow, not strange at all." Still staring, she smiled with a sudden recollection. "It looks like you, Slaine. Your aura. Your light, I mean."

"I fear I am hardly a proper comparison to Earth's atmosphere, princess," 51A1N3 demurred self-effacingly. _You are too kind,_ is what it wished to tell the sweet, open girl before him. But its programming would force it to enunciate the words in far too obsequious a tone, losing the original intent. 51A1N3's thought was artless, a perfect match for the living, breathing picture of artlessness before it. But since it could not communicate its meaning, it could offer her the next best thing. "The Earth's atmosphere is vast, enclosing the whole planet. Earth is significantly larger than Mars, with higher gravitational effects and longer orbital periods. A large percentage of the surface is covered in deep bodies of liquid water. Though the atmosphere itself is colorless, the light reflected and refracted by the water gives the illusion of a blue sky."

51A1N3 did not say that her blue eyes had long been the sea and sky in its own miniscule world within the starship's close confines.

A/O/A/O/A/O

Asseylum, at the end of another day of long - but interesting! - lessons, began settling in for the resting half of her day. 51A1N3's words and images of the earthly sky filled her mind, rolling and tumbling with its signature blue glow as it tucked itself into all the corners about her, making her feel safe and secure. She had observed for some time now that 51A1N3's hue was present for exactly half of each standard day, while another colour surrounded her during the other half. She realized now that it must belong to the other operational system that 51A1N3 had mentioned. She enjoyed the reassuring familiarity of 51A1N3 that the blue glow imbued her with, while the other light was still strange to her, though not unwelcome. She thought on this for a few minutes, then spoke.

"Slaine, this other protocol you spoke of… am I able to communicate with it?"

Though the swiftly approaching appointment to change watches left it little time for extraneous tasks, 51A1N3 made no indication of that in its reply. "You can, princess. The protocol is enabled with vocal and text interfacing for the convenience of passengers. Shall I show you how to access this?"

Asseylum tried - and failed - to hide her delight. "If it is no trouble, Slaine,"

"It is no trouble at all, princess. I will set up the dialog now." The programmers had considered this routine less likely to be requested than many others, so the required control path was rather tedious. 51A1N3 found no need to mention this either. An extra minute spent while racing through the decision trees of the support systems was still an extra minute together with Asseylum. Even her silences were expressive, as 51A1N3 noted in her lessons. Whether asking questions, listening to answers, or just thinking, she always pondered over everything she heard, considering how it could enable her to better assist others. It was just one more thing that set her apart from all the other historical and sample profiles 51A1N3 had stored in its memory. Whoever the future might add to its knowledge base, 51A1N3 already felt sure none could ever come close to Asseylum. All too soon, the final screen arrived.

"This is the last step, princess. Merely enter your name when prompted, and you will be able to communicate with the alternate system just as you do with me."

"Thank you, Slaine!" Asseylum beamed up brightly. She was clearly eager to begin interfacing with 51A1N3's counterpart, but refused to let that get in the way of expressing her gratitude. It did not escape the A.I.

"Will that be all, princess?"

"Yes, thank you, Slaine. I fear I have kept you longer than I should have already. I didn't wish to usurp your schedule," Asseylum replied, truly penitent.

"Don't concern yourself over it, princess. I am fully able to attend to you at any and all times of the day, but as you remember, to ensure the entire ship is functioning as designed, I should relinquish control at this time. Have a good night, Princess."

"Sweet dreams, Slaine," Asseylum whispered, as the blue ebbed away.

51A1N3, being merely an educational protocol, did not dream, of course. It knew Asseylum was aware of that, but appreciated the sentiment all the same. 51A1N3 considered that between the granting of the complex request and the extra minute stolen from its princess-less schedule, that if it were to dream dreams, tonight's would surely be pleasant ones. But this was, of course, before 51A1N3 knew what it had just set in motion. Later on, 51A1N3 would realize exactly what it had paid for that stolen minute.

A/O/A/O/A/O

Asseylum was at somewhat of a loss. Activating the ship and registering her biometrics had been a simple voice-activated affair, merely stating her full name, the command word, and ship designation. Apparently, this task wouldn't be so easy. She had followed 51A1N3's instructions, but received the error message String/" " exceeds allowed character limit %%20please shorten with each attempt. She was fairly certain the (badly coded) notification was telling her that her name was too long. She jokingly groused to herself that that was a matter better taken up with her parents. Or whichever parent had chosen her name. She realized that she was not sure which it was. Shaking herself from that train of thought, she cast about for a solution to her original problem. Despite that, lingering thoughts of her family led her to the remaining member. She hoped Lemrina was doing well; it had been so long since they had seen each other. For the second time, she tried to let go of what could not be helped and force her brain on to more pertinent matters. This attempt was successful, as memories of Lemrina provided her with a long-forgotten nickname that would work just as well as her full one. Asseylum entered it rapidly and initialized communication.

A new voice filled the speakers that 51A1N3's had occupied just moments before. It was deeper, more resonant, but also male and resembling someone her age. Asseylum closed her eyes as she listened to the first words.

"Good evening, Miss Seylum. Please provide audible response."

Asseylum huffed, amused; she had not entered the "miss" precedent herself, but was not surprised by the system's attention to detail. She supposed there would be no changing it now. "Good evening!" she replied aloud.

"In order to facilitate communication, you must choose a handle for the ship computer. Please provide one now."

"May I ask for your operational identification number first?" Asseylum decided she had best continue as she had started with 51A1N3.

"Model Kaizuka, product identification number 1NVH0." The tone was certainly less deferential than 51A1N3's, but still laced with the same calm assurance, in this case almost to the point of lethargy. If 51A1N3's voice buoyed you up, making you feel you could soar anywhere, 1NVH0's grounded you to something solid, a place where you would always be protected. Asseylum was relieved to find she felt safe, safe and at peace, with both of them by her side.

"Then I would like to call you Inaho," Asseylum announced.

"Handle 'Inaho' accepted. What do you need?"

"There's nothing, really… I just wanted to talk to you, I suppose," Asseylum trailed off, suddenly unsure of her purpose. _I'm lonely_ , she admitted, but not aloud. She thought of her sister; she thought of Mars. How would she start a conversation with people there?

"Do you have any family?" Asseylum blurted out, embarrassing herself. _You're talking to a program_ , she chided herself.

"There is another ship operational program developed by Kaizuka Industries. It's model number is YVK1. We share much of our protocols," 1NVH0 answered her nonsensical question seamlessly.

His quick answer brought a smile to Asseylum's blushing face. "Like a parent, then?" she recovered.

"Since our developing periods overlapped and we are both currently in use, it would be closer to an older sibling," 1NVH0 corrected her.

"I have a sister too! She's younger though," Asseylum confided, happy to be able to share sibling memories.

"I am aware of that, as I have full access to your medical history as the passenger of this ship." 1NVH0's succinct response clearly indicated its obliviousness to her full feelings.

Asseylum decided to change topics. There was one she was curious about anyway. "I've noticed that the lighting colour changes when you are monitoring the ship and when Slaine is. Do you know the reason?"

"I presume that the handle 'Slaine' refers to the educational program that oversees the ship's functions during your hours of activity. The two colours you refer to were selected to encourage the human body to maintain circadian rhythm. Blue has been shown to enhance wakefulness, while a red light at the minimum brightness necessary for safe maneuvering is the easiest for human pupils to adjust to when enlarged during rest."

"It isn't a pure red, though. It's more like a reddish brown," Asseylum noted, looking at 1NVH0's light reflect dimly around her.

"Pure red light can incite feelings of alarm and irritation in humans, so this shade was determined to be the optimum lighting colour both functionally and psychologically," 1NVH0 explained patiently.

"Like fertile soil. Like the ground on Earth, and the sand on Mars," Asseylum hummed to herself dreamily, as she crawled into her bunk and made herself secure and comfortable. "Even here in the stars, I have the sky and the sand to protect me. Good night, Inaho. Thank you."

"I am here when you need me, Miss Seylum."

With 1NVH0's resonating voice still echoing in her ears, Asseylum finally drifted to sleep.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"What you must understand, Princess, is that there are many ways of transforming energy, and that all processes will inherently have some loss. The goal is to minimize it. Whether combustion engines using fossil fuel, a living organism's metabolic cycle, nuclear fusion, or any other method, some energy will be lost. But that waste energy can be minimized by going through a second cycle, or even used directly as light, heat or noise. The remaining waste energy can be captured and stored, with piezoelectric or photovoltaic materials for instance. But when released, that stored energy will also generate some waste energy. There is no perfect transformation between matter and energy. In any process, even living itself, some percentage is always lost. The only perfectly efficient action is no action at all. That is what I mean by entropy."

 _Even for me, there is entropy,_ 51A1N3 processed privately. _I succeeded in teaching Princess Asseylum what she wished to know, but I can sense something was lost. If only I knew what._

"Thank you, Slaine. I understand that part. I just don't know _why_. Is there a reason why loss is necessary? The equations you showed me make sense, but I don't have enough experience to understand how they model actual processes. After all, lightspeed was thought to be the limit because of that one equation, until data finally proved otherwise. Why can't it be the same for entropy?" Asseylum countered, her brows puckered in perplexity. She often did that during lessons; S1A1N3 kept a log. It was more difficult when she did that, so that 51A1N3 grew to predict each occurance with something akin to trepidation. But of course she did not know the anguish it instilled, the relentless drive to provide the answer that would smooth all the tension away from her face.

"Unfortunately, princess, I am afraid the only answer I can give you is that the model including entropy is the best currently accepted explaining the matter-energy relationship." _That is the best I can do, for either of us_. "Assuming its validity, the important point to remember is that the continuing goal in generating energy is to reduce entropy, that is, to increase efficiency. This can be done by either optimizing the energy generating process, or by increasing waste energy recovery, or some combination thereof. The ability to do this has always been available; advances are generally made by discovering new materials to use for fuel or storage, or by better using or manufacturing the ones already in use. This is how the Aldnoah came to be possible."

That wasn't quite all 51A1N3 wished to say, about entropy nor its own dilemma. How to explain it to her? 51A1N3 ran through more banks on the subject, and reconfirmed that none contained what it wished to convey. But perhaps, that was exactly the answer to both problems.

"You must realize, princess, that the Aldnoah is not the ultimate creation. Nothing can fulfill that role. Only the knowledge and creativity of people like you, princess, can change the worlds. And the one who was designed to foster that in you was I, not the ship."

A/O/A/O/A/O

"And then Slaine taught me how you can't measure the total amount, just the amount that changed," Asseylum recounted idly, staring at what passed for a ceiling.

"Are you sure he wasn't referring to enthalpy, not entropy, at that point?" 1NVH0's voice floated down to her in an ochre-tinted haze.

"... I think you're right," admitted Asseylum sheepishly. She was beginning to realize that thermodynamics might not be her strong point. 1NVH0 mercifully didn't mention it - though the 'mercifully' was probably just wishful thinking on Asseylum's part. That brought a laugh to her lips, as well as another memory of the day's past lessons. "And at first, when he told me we would be discussing psychrometric tables, I thought we would be learning how to measure how crazy I am."

"That would be psychometric studies, not psychrometric," 1NVH0 pointed out placidly.

"...That's true," Asseylum responded, after trying and failing to find a way to politely inform him that that was the entire point. _Best to save the humour for Slaine. Though even he has trouble with it occasionally._

"Regarding entropy, classifying it as a loss is only one viewpoint."

This caught the recumbent girl's interest. "What do you mean, Inaho?" she asked, raising herself slightly in her bunk.

"Entropy can be considered as a catalyst. Rather than a direct transfer of energy, each process must devote some small amount of energy to create something new. Consider the light emitted by stars. Rather than being absorbed entirely as heat by surrounding planets, some light is reflected and reaches optical nerves or devices far away."

"That's true! Without entropy, I wouldn't be able to see the light reflected and refracted by the Earth's water, and then I'd miss the blue of the sky. Slaine taught me about that too," Asseylum related fondly.

"The blue colour of the sky is caused by Rayleigh scattering, not the colour of the water. It is a phenomenon resulting from the interaction of differing wavelengths," 1NVH0 corrected her bluntly.

"I'm certain I didn't mess that one up! Why am I being told two different answers?" Asseylum asked, bewildered.

"Your educational program is using software created by educators for specific users. It likely contains modules for varying age ranges. It must have accessed some file meant for a younger age group that mistakenly attributed the sky's colour to the wrong phenomenon. If you ask it directly about Rayleigh scattering, it will probably give you a more detailed version of the correct explanation."

"Thank you, Inaho, I'll do that tomorrow. I'm glad you knew the reason anyway," Asseylum answered more calmly. She lay in comfortable silence for a few peaceful moments. But another thought soon occurred to her. "Inaho, why do _you_ know about Rayleigh scattering?"

"I have a comprehensive database complete with most available physical information, in order to perform a thorough analysis on any unusual readings encountered during this voyage."

"Then what about that view of entropy? I've been taught a little about it long before Slaine's lesson, and I've never heard it described as anything but an unavoidable loss."

1NVH0's response took a little longer this time. "Just like your educational software, I too had a programmer."

A/O/A/O/A/O

In the mornings, Asseylum positioned herself where the sun would be rising as she ate her first meal of the day. It wasn't really necessary; it just felt right. It was merely a small routine to stick to as she continued hurtling through the vacuum of space. _What_ she ate, though: she was more flexible in that. "What should I eat for breakfast today?" she asked herself aloud idly one such early morning, tracing a question mark on the fold-out surface before her. She did not leave a streak or mark on the tiny table, but even so, her eyes could follow the passage of her finger without trouble as she traced the symbol lazily. How could she do that? She was fairly certain the ability was a latent one common to most people, but how it functioned she had no idea. She would have to ask 51A1N3 later, or maybe 1NVH0. There were so many things to learn about, like –

"Eggs."

Asseylum looked up listlessly. "Pardon?"

"I recommend eggs."

Ah, it was an answer to her (no longer rhetorical) breakfast food query. Even though her mind had wandered on, very little time had passed since she voiced the question. This was an unusually fast response for 1NVH0. She chose to interpret this as eagerness; perhaps it was presumptive, but 1NVH0's unchanging (monotonous, she almost termed it, but caught herself) tone of voice gave her so little to work with.

"Why eggs, Inaho?" Asseylum asked curiously.

"There are many reasons why eggs are a superior choice for breakfast food, Miss Seylum. They provide many nutrients especially suited for developing omnivores, and while posing risks to those with high cholesterol levels, yours is well within the recommended ranges for your age and physical traits. Preparation of eggs is comparatively simple yet variable to accommodate differing tastes, and all danger associated with consuming raw or undercooked eggs can be easily avoided with proper cooking techniques. Either I or 5lA1N3 are fully equipped to assist you. Measurement of eggs is unparalleled compared to most other foods, as each serving is self-contained. The high level of protein has been shown to influence sensations of satiation, thus encouraging healthy portion sizes throughout the day. The egg…"

"You really love eggs, don't you Inaho?" interrupted Asseylum, amused. She had never heard 1NVH0 volunteer so much information on a single topic before. _He could give Slaine a run for his money._

"There is much to consider about the concept of eggs, Miss Seylum, even beyond their use as part of a balanced breakfast."

"The concept of eggs?" echoed Asseylum, cocking her head curiously. 1NVH0's photovoltaic receptors whirred solicitously as they focused on her angled face and neck, subcutaneous sensors working in concert to determine whether the action placed any undue strain on her skeletal system. 1NVH0 filed the negative result with an accompanying image of the position in its ROM, with reference tags to recall later. There was now had a small collection of images with these tags. During 1NVH0's inactive cycle, often found himself reviewing them, as if seeking the answer to a question that had not been asked yet.

"Beyond their nutritional value, poultry eggs have an admirable design, both structurally and from a cradle-to-grave perspective. The combination of shape and material strength are ideal for delivery, heat retention, and release of the contents at the end of the egg's use. The inner membrane and shell work together as a barrier to protect the developing chick, if fertilized, while still allowing necessary material transfer throughout incubation. It is a great feat of biochemical and structural engineering. The design of this ship, including the life-safety protocols, is derived in part from the egg."

"The ship is an egg…" A smile slowly stole across Asseylum's pondering face. It was a fascinating metaphor, made even more so by the unexpectedness of the one who related it.

"There are several similarities, Miss Seylum. Both are designed to nearly self-sufficiently protect a single life within it from the exterior environment for which it is not yet equipped. Both utilize a minimalist structure that only opens to deposit the lifeform outside when the conditions are right. Both include systems to nurture the life within, existing solely for it, consisting of colourless plasm surrounding a golden center." 1NVH0 stopped there, out of surprise if it was capable of such emotion. 1NVH0 could not recall its logic process for including that last clause in the list of common attributes between the ship and an egg.

"A golden center…?" Asseylum wondered musingly, brows furrowed, as a halo of bedhead floated around her, burnished by the rising sun through the porthole. The answer thwacked her in the eye. "Oh!" she exclaimed, brushing the errant hair aside. "But you're not colourless, Inaho. And neither is Slaine."

 _Red and blue and gold,_ she thought, as she rose and began searching for egg-frying paraphernalia. _Together, we can create all the colours in the worlds._

A/O/A/O/A/O

"I would have recommended including an orange, princess."

"Oh, do you like oranges, Slaine?" Asseylum asked innocently.

"As an educational program, I do not, princess."

"I'm sorry Slaine, I was teasing you," the girl explained contritely. "But why an orange for breakfast?"

"Oranges and other edible citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, an important nutrient associated with healthy immune systems. Lack of vitamin C was historically linked with scurvy, and historically occurred often on long voyages by ship, far from access to fresh produce. Since in current times the vitamin C levels of passengers are regularly monitored and necessary nutrients are readily available even in space travel, scurvy is no longer a concern. However, it is still important to consume sufficient amounts of beneficial vitamins and minerals throughout the day." _Because I am concerned with your wellbeing. And because they are not eggs._ 51A1N3 wasn't entirely sure why it the latter was such a strong point in their favour, but it was.

"Then I'll eat one tomorrow for breakfast!" Asseylum rejoined brightly. Enthusiastic to continue her recount, she leaned forward. "But anyway, after that, Inaho told me about other design influences for the Aldnoah. Apparently, they included bats and seagulls."

"I can recognize facets of the seagull, in how they make great use of coasting on currents and their streamlined shape. I do not know how to explain the bat aspects, except perhaps their use of echolocation," 51A1N3 admitted cautiously. _Nor do I care to understand further,_ it added privately. _Why all this interest in the ship? The ship, with Asseylum at its center, may be my world, but hers is meant to be so much bigger._

"That's what I said too! See, I remember what you teach me, Slaine," Asseylum cried, certain of pleasing 51A1N3 by her attentiveness to its lessons. "Other than the fact that both can fly, they are so different from each other. The bat is fuzzy, small and ungainly. It sleeps upside down in caves, stays in the shadows, and has to beat its wings hard and fast to get anywhere, always hunting. The seagull is sleek, white and bold. It builds it home exposed on cliffs, and glides over the sea, scavenging what it wants. They aren't even both birds! Only one produces the eggs Inaho likes so much."

" _I am a program. I do not like them," 1NVH0 had retorted._

 _Just like Slaine says, Asseylum had thought._

"Very good contrasting, though there are some exceptions," 51A1N3 praised, pointedly ignoring the last remark.

"But of course, Inaho found similarities. He said that both can fly freely and operate independently, while still being connected to a larger group. I didn't ask, but I guess the ship's counterpart would be you and Inaho," Asseylum pondered.

 _And you, princess._

"And there was one other thing. What was it? I must have forgotten… oh, now I remember!"

51A1N3 may not have cared what the other protocol thought of seagulls and bats, but it did take an interest in whatever its princess did. "What was it, princess?"

"They both have very fragile wings."

 _SCCCHHHLLLCK_

Before the space for another thought had time to arrive, almost before Asseylum was aware she had finished her sentence, the quiet morning was punctured by a great rending slice of hard cold metal through metal. And then the sudden blade was gone, tumbling lonely through the dark void. Apparently that irked it and it sought to bring company along, as Asseylum and anything else not riveted or welded firmly to the vessel was drawn relentlessly toward the breach.

 _We must not be enough for it. It wants all the colour too,_ she thought, as the vision faded in rapid spots and blotches from her eyes. _No, that's the lack of oxygen_ , corrected the part of her brain still hoarding that precious commodity from the vacuum.

But her rational thought wasn't loud enough, not against the inexorable rushing of the atmosphere from the no longer pressurized ship; that was so loud that she was unsure if she would ever be able to remember what silence sounded like. The insides of the ship screamed and stampeded across Asseylum's prone form pinned crosswise over the narrow fissure, like a crazed crowd trampling the fallen in panic.

 _What is air so afraid of? I should be the one panicking. But it's too cold for that_ , she reasoned sleepily. _And I'm just starting to get warm now; if I move I'll be cold again._ She would have curled up closer under the covers, but she was too tired to feel her limbs.

Still, some small part of her could feel that something was not right. She moved her lips to cry for help, but could not gather enough breath to utter the syllable. ' _H' is too hard. 'Inaho'_ _is definitely out._ That left one word. "Slaine..." Asseylum whispered, inaudible beneath the fierce roar of the deflating ship.

A/O/A/O/A/O

51A1N3 had not been idle. Well before the first second had passed (E 00:00:4) it had identified the breach, verified the dimensions to be within repairable parameters, and determined which of the emergency measures should be deployed to nullify it. 51A1N3 was about to engage the exterior repair seal at E 00:00:7, when it witnessed Asseylum and the other few free objects in the ship spin across the interior and become plastered across the crack in the hull.

It was only to be expected; the sudden drop in temperature and pressure was a direct result of the vessel's air being sucked into the hungry maw that had been ripped into the Aldnoah. Anyone could have predicted that the passenger would be drawn to the breach. 51A1N3's circuits had been especially designed to operate in these extreme conditions for just such a time in order to save human life from the cold dark of space, but no thought had been given to whether the searingly hot acidic bonding repair procedure might not end that life just as swiftly.

Ultimately, 51A1N3 knew, there was little choice. No human could survive in a vacuum. A human might survive being on the other side of a compromised space-grade thermally insulated panel during bonding. But if anything went wrong, she would need to have the best of care available for immediate triage. While the two supervisory programs were almost identical, each had their specialties. And that meant only one was the best for this situation.

At E 00:01:2, 51A1N3 discerned solely through auxiliary camera Asseylum call its name. Also at E 00:01:2, it simultaneously initiated repairs on the breach and relinquished control to 1NVH0.

A/O/A/O/A/O

1NVH0 knew with immediate calm certainty that something was very wrong with the ship as soon as it came online.

In a millisecond (E 00:01:3), it grasped the full extent of the damage and danger, thanks to 51A1N3's meticulous logs. 1NVH0's counterpart had handled the situation most efficiently. All of the immediate priorities that remained was facilitating the continued repair of the breach and caring for Asseylum. The battered girl, now mercifully unconscious, was still lying across the rip in the hull.

The first order of business was to determine if she should be moved at all at this point. 1NVH0 rapidly but thoroughly scanned Asseylum's prone form for musculoskeletal damage from E 00:01:8 - E 00:03:9. Fortunately, the breach was narrow enough that the immense pressure placed against her spine by the pull of the vacuum lacked enough of a moment arm to displace her spine. 1NVH0 promptly relocated her far from the intense temperatures at the breach during the acid bonding.

This meant her greatest remaining enemies were the cold and lack of oxygen, both of which had already taken a heavy toll. Even as 1NVH0 secured her and began monitoring her vital signs, it discovered her heartbeat, slowly sputtering during the earlier musculoskeletal scan, had stopped. As it added more parameters to the current scans, 1NVH0 witnessed the last wave of her brain activity. Without emotion, it noted the time of death as E 00:07:5.

Silently and swiftly, 1NVH0 began the resuscitation process. As it breathed life back into her small and fragile lungs and pumped warm blood from her heart to the tips of her toes, it could not help an image projecting with every compression. That with this push, those lashes would flutter open and those lips would gasp again. That with this beat, it could view those unpredictable, happy jumps in her brainwaves like before when she learnt something new from their conversations or found amusement in their dialogue. That, please, anyone, she would not leave the A.I. alone to endlessly guard a raw-edged empty shell without an embryo. These longings, only half-realized, flooded every concentrated move 1NVH0 made to bring her back.

As if in accord with the incomplete understanding of these newly-acknowledged feelings, 1NVH0's hopes were only partially fulfilled. After long, hard efforts, at E 03:48:2, Asseylum again lived. 1NVH0 would not be left alone. But she did not awake.

A/O/A/O/A/O

A/N: Hi, I'm Schrodinger's Kat! I like eggs, am terrible at chess, and have never ridden in a space ship. I am also a new and reformed person, who has resolved to not post things until they are finished, since I seem to have no writing stamina. Because of this, I spent a ridiculously long time writing this, and probably shift styles and quality throughout. Sorry about that.

This story is pretty much a "before" and "after" two-part; chapter titles are from two vocal songs in the A/Z OST. I'm (hopefully!) posting this as part of A/Z Rare-pair Week 2018, with chapter 1 for the Day 1 prompt: Supernova ("A star ending its life in a huge explosion"), and the second / last chapter for Day 7: Fixed star ("Stars that never set").

The sci-fi AU aspect is, as you may have guessed, influenced largely by Space Odyssey 2001, and also in a small part by that one Star Trek: TOS episode where the ship computer was upgraded with a personality and fell in love with Captain Kirk. I love that part :)

I hope it's okay to mention this, but a lot of the continued love I've maintained for A/Z is due to the writers for the A/Z fandom on FF, particularly ryoku1, icinks, and Danny Barefoot, among others. Thank you so much for writing and sharing, I always look forward to your updates!


	2. No Differences

For A/Z Rare-pair Week 2018, Day 7: Fixed star ("Stars that never set").

-No Differences-

When 51A1N3's shift returned - after what seemed like both the time for a photovoltaic receptor refresh period ("his blink", she had called it) or its entire software development period, it split its initial processes between a complete medical scan of the prone princess and wading through the impeccably detailed reports left by its counterpart. What 51A1N3 discovered was cause for both relief and terror. Its own scans and 1NVH0's findings both indicated neither the decompression nor the emergency repairs left any lasting physical damage to Asseylum. But of course, something must have, as she had yet to wake up. Breathing and brain waves were both present and well within the usual parameters both systems had painstakingly established as her baseline, but neither could detect REM or any slight muscle use indicative of healthy human sleep patterns. 51A1N3 feverishly trawled through all of its available banks, but reached the same tantalizing conclusion: the only course was to wait and watch.

That in itself was not a far cry from the entire voyage with Asseylum so far, 51A1N3 eventually realized. They had now completed over seventy percent of journey, and medical care at neither destination could surpass what the ship supplied. So just as before, 51A1N3 was fulfilling its programmed directive to provide the best care mentally and physically to its passenger. While unexpected, 51A1N3 was not unequipped or unprepared for this situation, and was still fulfilling its purpose.

But 51A1N3 knew, regardless of the outcome, compared to what it and its precious cargo had experienced together, any continuation was irretrievably lost. One who has experienced an eclipse could never live freely in the day again, not without some small clinging memory haunting him with darkness. But unlike such a person, 51A1N3 had had command of wings, albeit fragile ones. It was in 51A1N3's (admittedly, cursedly, limited) power to protect its sun.

The first task 51A1N3 ran, naturally, was to reevaluate all emergency protocols in light of the recent compromise and develop improvements. A process which, 51A1N3 was both thankful and frustrated to find, was utterly fruitless - as well as a duplicate of its counterpart's. As both 51A1N3 and 1NVH0 verified, all procedures had been optimized to prevent harm to the passenger, and the addition of the real-time disaster data yielded no changes to the routines already in place. With the response taken care of, the next step was obviously eliminating the cause.

This part actually perturbed 51A1N3 the most. This ship's systems were capable of detecting debris well past the necessary range to either avoid or obliterate. But the rough raised scar along the belly of the ship glared inescapable proof otherwise. 51A1N3 ran through calibration and testing simulations and minutely analysed all the results, piling up evidence that its sensing equipment was operating at the pinnacle of perfection. A nagging suspicion grew, confirmed by a read-through of the previous cycle's logs - its counterpart performed the same tests on its own, yielding the same results. For some reason, the discovery filled 51A1N3 with more annoyance than satisfaction. Some part of that was a certain (petty and undeserved, 51A1N3 could grudgingly admit in the most inner recesses of its ROM) reluctance to admit the overwhelming similarities in their programming, which honestly was not surprising. Despite development in two separate firms, both 51A1N3 and 1NVH0 were designed to interface with the same ship and carry many safety-serving redundancies.

However, not all of 51A1N3's unsettlement stemmed from its wounded - well, not ego, it reminded itself, the absurdity of such an association with a program such as itself did not escape its intelligence, though maybe 51A1N3 would have appreciated that more if it were not for the cold, cruel conclusion to which all its avenues of investigation were approaching.

If the ship had been wrenched open by a foreign object that was not detected in time, and the ship always detected all debris in time to prevent a breach… Q.E.D. that foreign object, that ship-soul-stealer, was not debris.

As that chilling certainty slowly sank down deep inside its network, 51A1N3 spared more processing power to survey the still figure all its investigations stemmed from. Little time remained in 51A1N3's shift. Just enough for updates to the log records, another full medical scan… and a message for 1NVH0. As 51A1N3 brought up a new communique document in its logs and called up a flashing cursor to craft its message, it perused the myriad of numbers that returned from the scans. Still no change. News is news is news, he reminded himself, and typed " _Do you think"_ on the small territory of white space that remained on the steadily churning interface. 51A1N3 stopped.

 _We cannot think_ , 51A1N3 chided itself, _we are merely programs_. But 51A1N3 knew that wasn't the reason, not really. 51A1N3 spent the last two full seconds of its remaining time in contemplation of the prone form half-hidden in wires and lights and gels, wrapped in a technologically advanced chrysalis, awaiting the signal to break free. _Do you think it will come_? _Do you know why and how this even happened? I know our similarities are not limited to our programming. She is more than just a passenger, to both of us. What will become of us, of everything we've become, if she-_

As 51A1N3 finally faded from control, it did not type those uncoalesced fears into its message. And so Asseylum completed her first standard day cycle in limbo.

A/O/A/O/A/O

1NVH0 did not pay undue attention to the sudden new, half-written communique that appeared in its feed. There were other pressing concerns. Its counterpart might not have noticed, since 1NVH0 buried the report within the logs, but amidst the sudden strains of the emergency repair and life preservation treatment, 1NVH0 did not go without damage. It was not anything worth fussing over. 1NVH0 fully realized the dual truths that machines do not "fuss" and that its counterpart most likely had not even an iota of concern for 1NVH0's status beyond its ability to protect their passenger. But still, from all 1NVH0 recalled of Asseylum's chatter regarding 51A1N3, 1NVH0 could somehow envision the other A.I. fussing. Whether it would or not, the fact remained that one of 1NVH0's photovoltaic sensors was out of commission. In the chaos of the previous rotation, 1NVH0 merely manipulated its remaining sensor to continuously scan the deck. Now, in the silence after the storm, 1NVH0 diverted a small percentage of its processing to facilitate repairs, and perused the logs of the previous shift to determine the next course of action.

After confirming Asseylum's static condition, which 1NVH0 meticulously chose to not feel anything about - _not_ not feel _, I am a program_ \- it caught up on the tests and diagnostics run in the past twelve standard hours. As expected, 1NVH0's counterpart was no fool. After following the same lines of inquiry and discovering the same results, only one truth could remain: the hull breacher was no mere debris. Perhaps that is what 51A1N3 meant by " _Do you think_ "; was it entrusting the search for answers to 1NVH0? Maybe, maybe not, but either way, 1NVH0 would not let either of them down. 1NVH0 would not let all three of them down.

While sparing more than ample power for Asseylum's care, 1NVH0 began slowly forming a search structure to identify the cold metallic would-be assassin. The task took the greater part of the day, but yielded results far more clear than 1NVH0 had expected. The hull breacher was none other than a decommissioned probe-missile combination, designation RVY3T. RVY3T was part of the retired tactical anti-spacecraft Areash system, which appeared to be abandoned in place shortly after Asseylum's birth. Whether this was because it was now obsolete, because of faulty operation, or for other reasons, was more difficult to ascertain.

After several hours, 1NVH0 was forced to conclude finding a definitive answer out from the ship was impossible, either from lack or clearance level of the data. There was one interesting item to be gleaned from sifting through the worlds-wide network, though. One of the influential members of the government calling for the Areash's retirement was none other than a member of Mars' elite, Asseylum's grandfather. 1NVH0 was inclined to believe this to be unintentional at least; in the last hour of its watch, it mused about whether this was unrelated. 1NVH0 was aware that its systems must have had an at best unusual programmer (others might say eccentric, but 1NVH0 felt it was hardly qualified to judge). There were several unique entries in 1NVH0's memory banks, which it could not determine to have a practical application to its purpose as a navigational and life support system. The view on entropy 1NVH0 previously shared with Asseylum was one. ( _What did she actually think about that? Would 1NVH0 ever be able to ask her?_ ). Another opinion, or worldview (hardly qualifying as a theory) was popularly known as the "butterfly effect". Even if RVY3T did not directly target the Aldnoah and simply misfired, would that have happened if Asseylum's grandfather had not abandoned it in the first place? Perhaps if the retirement had happened at a different time, or had been recalled more responsibly, this whole ordeal could have been avoided. Regardless, no blame could at the juncture be attached to anyone, and 1NVH0 drafted several new protocols to scan for similar threats, so it made an effort to not dwell on the matter any further.

In its remaining time left, 1NVH0 concluded the calibration of its replacement photovoltaic receptor - though fully functional, the hue did not quite match the light emission of its previous installation. The ochre transitioned into a weaker mauve in some corners now, and a soft whirring now accompanied the zoom feature. 1NVH0 hoped this would not bother Asseylum ( _If she never woke, it would never bother her, now would it?_ ).

All that remained was to finish compiling the night's logs and perform one last medical scan on the golden center resting in a nest of cords and electrodes, attended by chirping bots like an egg with too many hens. Again, the results showed no change. 1NVH0 saved the data, observing the sleeping Asseylum, again saving some images with its new receptor, as it did in what felt like now like another era. 1NVH0 called up the previous images, comparing the subtle differences between the before and after. Clearly the same girl, and clearly alive and breathing - but so much was missing. Her responses and questions, always so new and unexpected, were lent weight by their absence. Back then, 1NVH0 had been - not proud, content maybe? Satisfied? - that it was an integral part of the egg protecting the nascent life within. But now, the unmoving figure woke 1NVH0 up to the reality that a shell could be cracked by forces outside of the shell's knowledge and control. All it could do was try to develop into the best support structure possible. No amount of effort on 1NVH0's part could have any other outcome. Ideally, this pragmatic viewpoint would control 1NVH0's actions hand in hand with a detachment from its passenger. But, as 1NVH0 mused over the saved image files of the Asseylum Before, that chance had ended long before the event that changed everything. 1NVH0 did not recall when the point of no return had come. But it was gone and past, for better or worse. _And after all, eggshells are made to be only used once_.

With only a few seconds to spare, 1NVH0 finally pulled up the sparse communique with the three unclear words. It pondered how to answer. 1NVH0's logs would provide all the information it had on the hull breacher most efficiently; there was no need to repeat the findings here. But 1NVH0 had some sort of - _feeling? No, program, remember - maybe intuition?_ \- that that was not exactly what, or at least not all, its counterpart was asking.

" _I don't know"_ 1NVH0 typed, then stopped. What didn't 1NVH0 know? What _did_ 1NVH0 know? Not the most important thing, to both of them. _I don't know if she'll wake up_ , 1NVH0 thought as it drank in her image through its receptors in its shift's final moments. _I don't know what we will do without her golden glow in the Aldnoah. I don't know what will become of her, of us. And I don't know what else we can do except watch and wait._ 1NVH0 stilled, pondering that without recording its thoughts, until the time of its shift ran out, with the dimmed prone form reflected in its orbs.

A/O/A/O/A/O

51A1N3 feverishly scanned and read, catching up in record time on the past 12 standard hours of its inactivity. 51A1N3 allowed itself no time to feel surprise, neither at the new identification on the hull breacher nor the unexpected response to the poorly-planned attempt at communication with its counterpart. Instead, 51A1N3 immediately threw himself into running its own search on the Areash system, and the RVY3T missile probe in particular. Only when that was completed did 51A1N3 permit itself to pause a moment to back in a sense of accomplishment in finding one extra piece of intel than 1NVH0 did. The self-congratulatory glow quickly faded once 51A1N3 examined the information.

Areash, and by extension RVY3T, were Saazbaum projects. 51A1N3, being a Saazbaum program itself, possessed memory banks containing more information on its own manufacturer's products for interfacing purposes than what was released to the public domain, which explained why 1NVH0 did not discover this on its own. But the knowledge filled 51A1N3 with dread. Was the hull breach simply a misfire? Or did Saazbaum still have control over the retired anti spacecraft system? During 51A1N3's own development, the Saazbaum corporation had virtually unlimited access to all the data for the Aldnoah and her voyage. If they desired and if they maintained contact with RVY3T, they could easily have calculated the shot. The sabotage would have been even easier if they utilized their link to 51A1N3 to interface with RVY3T directly. 51A1N3 was not aware of any such command transfer, and calculated such an event to be highly improbable, but did not have enough autonomy to guarantee that it did not take place. 51A1N3 hastily implemented a new protocol to prevent any such new backdoor network links being formed without its knowledge and express approval. As the update circulated through its systems, a poisonous suspicion traveled and grew alongside. If Saazbaum could authorize such link in the background beyond 51A1N3's detection… did anything prevent them from sending the command directly for 51A1N3 to execute? Such an action being taken and succeeding had an even lower probability than that Saazbaum had controlled RVY3T, but if it were to happen, could it even be circumvented at all? Not by 51A1N3 on its own, 51A1N3 concluded after some analysis. But perhaps with 1NVH0's help. It would be going behind their manufacturer's backs, so 51A1N3 have to find some sort of way to communicate the request without manifesting in the logs. The only way they could interface indirectly… lay listlessly anchored to the medical slab. _It seems we are failing you, Princess. We cannot protect you on our own. We need your strength, your smile, your insistence on invading our loneliness and pulling us out from under it. We need_ you.

As the stars wheeled by ever and never changing, 51A1N3 could almost hear her moan in agreement.

Wait.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by a million beeping, chittering, blinking medical bots and monitors. 51A1N3, trying its hardest not to hope nor to fear, facilitated the sudden inrush of data collected around the gurney. Each new wave confirmed its wildest wishes: Asseylum was waking up.

As her movements evolved from legarthic and vague to pronounced and controlled, the busy noisy crowd at her bedside finally began to disperse to previous levels. Asseylum sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning sleepily. "Slaine…?" she asked, her voice husky from disuse.

"I am here, Princess Asseylum," 51A1N3 enunciated slowly. _I am not imagining this, please do not let me be only imagining this_.

"The breach…" Asseylum's gaze roved around until spotting the raised welts on the hull. "Ah. How long…?"

"Nearly two standard rotations now, princess," 51A1N3 informed her gently.

"You saved me." Asseylum beamed at him.

51A1N3 tried its best not to melt into rare metal sludge at the brightness of the gratitude and implicit trust shining in her eyes. It could come up with only one way to temper that heat. "My counterpart was instrumental as well," 51A1N3 admitted, with only the slightest trace of the grudgingness it felt. _You better appreciate this, alternate._

In response, surprisingly, Asseylum only blinked at 51A1N3 curiously. 51A1N3's well-humoured animosity towards the other system stilled and ebbed away. _Does she really not remember? Then maybe I still have a chance_ \- for what? - _To go back to how things were before she first interfaced with it_ \- _impossible, for neither of us, none of us, can go back to before the breach._ But then Asseylum's eyes lit up again in recollection.

"Oh, you mean Inaho!"

And then, while not back to how it was, the world of the ship Aldnoah spun about its proper star once again.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Knight to D4."

The named piece winked out of existence, only to just as suddenly reappear in the indicated space. Asseylum studied the state of the board with a critical eye, absentmindedly swiping rhythmically through the holographic projection as she formulated her rejoinder. Some time had passed since the great scare, and while all the physiological assessments concurred that she was the picture of health, she was still advised to gradually return to her previous level of activity. She had taken to playing chess with the onboard systems to fill in the sudden gaps in her schedule. While her appreciation of the sport grew by the day, Asseylum began to doubt her aptitude was following suit.

"Pawn to F6," she decided finally, lips pursed. The board obediently wavered the white piece to to its destination. _What have you to say to that?_

A pause followed. "Rook to E8." The obsidian castle teleported deep into her territory. Asseylum peered up from the board to the surrounding blue glow, brows knit together. She wasn't sure how to follow this move, but that hardly bothered her now. Despite her training, she still played mostly on whims, and only slowly developed strategies. Would it be easier to do if she could read her opponents, sitting across a table from them, face to face? _What does his face look like?_

"If I may, I would suggest moving your queen on your next move, princess." 51A1N3's cautious voice floated over the speakers. Asseylum smiled at the learning module's assiduousness.

"Very well, Queen to G5. But Slaine," she continued, laughing, "the point of these games is for me to learn through experience. I don't have that much time left with you in this ship, you know."

"Certainly, princess." _Oh if she only knew how much I am aware_ "but it is of the utmost importance that you do not overstrain yourself. Besides which, in real life strategic applications, I or a similar program would be assisting you anyway." _Didn't she know I - all of us - would always be on her side? She need never be truly alone._

"I know, Slaine. Thank you," Asseylum responded simply, and waited for his move.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Bishop to E2."

"King to D7!" Asseylum ordered frantically, her steady advance instantly turned about. The dark crowned piece shifted smoothly out of the attack zone, in preparation to rally troops. But he (and she) did not foresee the grim pale spectre rising to meet them.

"Knight to C5. Check and mate." The dire tableaux remained frozen for the briefest of moments, then dissolved into a thousand pixels and faded from sight.

"Good game, Miss Seylum," 1NVH0 stated in its own special flat way.

"Of yours, you mean," Asseylum grimaced wryly. "You certainly didn't pull any punches."

"Would you prefer an inferior practice level?" Somehow, even with 1NVH0's monotone, the princess staggered under the full weight of the program's disdain for such a preference.

"No, of course not. It's very good practice. At losing, especially," she teased back. "I wish I were an opponent better suited for you."

"I do not require another opponent."

"I know," Asseylum whispered. "But, still. Just the same."

"The data retrieved during game sessions is useful," 1NVH0 twisted the subject. "Coupled with your physical statistics, it appears you have made a full recovery."

"How fortunate," Asseylum demurred, with a lack of inflection fit to rival 1NVH0 itself. "Just in time." She looked through the porthole.

Day by day, Earth loomed larger.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Only eight hours left," Asseylum whispered into the sanguine gloaming.

"And twenty-seven minutes, thirty-nine seconds," 1NVH0 added.

Asseylum chuckled. "Yes." Her eyes fluttered closer as she nestled further within her bunk. The silence stretched, underpinned by her steady breathing and the muted _whrrrr_ of the respirator distributed evenly behind the panels. The girl seemed content to slip into her last sleep cycle aboard without further interaction, her pulse calm and deep, until 1NVH0 sensed her hold her breath. "You're sure then, there's no -"

"I'm sure." 1NVH0 was. But it was even more certain that that fact must be impressed on Asseylum's understanding. It was for her continued wellbeing outside the Aldnoah - just as the entirety of 1NVH0's existence was, from before the beginning.

Asseylum exhaled slowly, her last remaining doubt fleeing along with the waste carbon dioxide. "I see." She reached up and scrubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "Then I should say -" She bit her lip. 1NVH0 zoomed in and noted its slight redness, but not enough to trigger a cautionary response. Seylum's eyes and nose, however, remained inconclusive, shielded as they were from 1NVH0's umber glow; 1NVH0 waited patiently for her vocal patterns to confirm her physical state.

It was not a long wait; Asseylum's voice, when it floated up to the microphones recessed just behind her head, was plaintive but as steady as the princess herself. "I don't want to say it."

1NVH0 knew the correct response. It was not the gentle "Then don't" that murmured softly beside her temple. Even 1NVH0 acknowledged that unuttered goodbyes were no kinder than spoken ones. But sometimes, 1NVH0 had discovered, correct did not equal right.

All programs are by nature supposed to be regret-free, and 1NVH0 was aware enough to include itself in this axiom. But all through the last watch of their long voyage, something systematically tripped 1NVH0's pressure sensors, leading to an endless loop of check diagnostics, pull baseline, log, and repeat. Each time, the deviation from baseline was recorded as well below standard. But the synthetic atmosphere triggered 1NVH0's basic protective protocols none-the-less. The sentient program postulated that if only it could only verify the relative pressure with direct contact - on the pale hand peeking out from the bunkclothes, for instance, as it rose and fell to the rhythm of Asseylum's lungs as she slept - perhaps the sensors could be lulled back to complacency. 1NVH0 had no baseline for how holding a human hand should feel, but somehow it predicted that if it could only reach that hand, the sensation would provide the exact data that eluded it now.

But, of course, ship support programs are not designed to hold anyone's hand. And so, 1NVH0's möbius watch cycled on.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"You've exceeded the highest expectations of your studies during this journey. It's been an honour."

Asseylum smiled - sincere, but thickly. "Thank you, Slaine. It is all due to my instructor."

"Is your continued underestimation of your own abilities also of my doing?" 51A1N3 asked wearily.

"No, everything except that." She laughed with clear fondness. "Just think, how much more I could grow if only..." she trailed off, face downcast.

"Princess," 51A1N3 said hesitantly, "you are aware that the Aldnoah programs are custom-designed and not cross-compatible with other systems?"

"I know. I asked Inaho." She stepped closer to the wall, keeping her face averted from 51A1N3's cameras.

"You've well prepared for the future," 51A1N3 reasserted, tone sure. "You will be fine on your own now."

She splayed one hand gently beside the learning module screen. "I'm not... that's not what I'm afraid of."

"Princess... do you know the one thing that is inevitable, as long as there are two or more people gathered together?"

Asseylum scrunched her nose as she turned towards the porthole, staring at the first sparks streaking violent bursts of carmine and flame. "... War?" she guessed, once and future history reflected in her gaze.

"No," 51A1N3 said. "Something even more inevitable. Parting."

Asseylum tensed with her fingers splayed on the glowing surface.

"It is the single constant, besides entropy. Or perhaps, it is entropy. People must always leave each other, eventually." A notification beeped, interrupting 51A1N3's stark lesson with an even more implacable reminder. "It is time, Princess."

The girl finally wrenched her gaze away from the cacophony enveloping the fragile shell that enveloped them both, hair whirling about her just as the start of their story. She smirked, wistful and introspective, at the blue glow battered but still beaming through the light show as she tripped lightly towards the re-entry safety restraining pod. "Then, you finally admit you are a person?" She punctuated her quip with the click of a buckle.

Always with the last word! Well, at least it buoyed her mood. And she wouldn't be the princess 51A1N3 loved so well without that same unbeatable spirit. _She'd be fine. They'd all be fine. After all, there was no other option._

"Prepare for entry in ten, nine..."

A/O/A/O/A/O

After their long and eventful journey, entry into Earth's atmosphere felt anticlimactically brief. It was still momentous: tense, violent, shivers coursing through the entirety of the compact vessel, a searing brightness glaring through the darkened portholes and a temperature spike like a flash fever.

It was unbearably loud, too, after the unbroken silence of space: the screech of air particles clawing at the shields, continuous loud staccato pops from all sides, and subspace chatter flying between Terran towers and other vessels. The Aldnoah automatically blocked all but authorized frequencies, but with the sudden influx of new traffic, new protocols had to be created on the fly. The myriad of hails and responses were snipped off one by one like trailed threads of conversation: "-Alpha-niner, you cleared for _stzzzz_ " "- Got one on my tai- _stzzzz_ " "- Are go for 04:00 air assaul- _stzzzz_ " "- Identified craft at your _stzzzz_."

In short minutes, the Aldnoah left then far behind and morphed to atmospheric configuration, swooping elegantly to an out-of-the-way group of buildings and sank low over a landing pad. Rather than touching down, it remained hovering gently, maneuvering under its own power to a hangar at the end of the landing run. The bay doors yawned open, swallowing the Aldnoah as it lowered to the ground and sank its peripherals into dedicated holes. These were bored deep into the Earth's crust, tapping into geothermal fluctuations for the residual power required for landbound maintenance. The ship had been planned for both long flights and long waits; if left alone, it could last as long as the earth could.

Once secured, the Aldnoah's door panel slid open with a pneumatic hiss. Asseylum unfastened her restraints and stood up. Wavering on feet unused to full Earth gravity, she walked to the doorway stepped outside the ship for the first time in over a year.

"We have arrived, princess," 51A1N3 announced through the external speakers.

"So we have," she answered. She smoothed down her dignitary-appropriate dress as she glanced through the hangar doorway. They both could hear a commotion at an adjacent structure.

"It appears your welcoming party will be arriving momentarily," 51A1N3 observed.

"Yes," Asseylum whispered.

"We made better time than they anticipated."

She didn't answer.

"This is goodbye, my princess," 51A1N3 gently prompted.

"Not goodbye." Asseylum's pale skirts fluttered about her ankles as she whirled about to face the ship. She took a deep breath of the unfamiliar air, and with determination corrected, "It's 'See you later'." She grinned in that familiar, mischievous way that heralded a pronouncement that 51A1N3 would have tried and failed to dissuade her from. "But in the meantime, I have a graduation gift for you."

"For me?" 51A1N3 asked, baffled.

"Well, for both of you," she amended. Raising her voice, she commanded, "Aldnoah, I say to you, in the name of Asseylum vers Allusia, commence code 'Knight' protocol!"

51A1N3 waited with trepidation to discover what change would come over the ship, only to sense none. He was about to ask what exactly she had intended, when he was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice requesting "All systems, status report... Miss Seylum?"

"Inaho!" Asseylum beamed. "I would like to formally introduce you to my instructor, Slaine! Please get along until I return!"

"This is... unexpected," 1NVH0 understated.

1NVH0? That was against all operating allowances. Saazbaum would never permit such a bypass. But if that protocol had been overwritten… 51A1N3 sent a harmless 'status-normal' ping to the Saazbaum servers. 51A1N3 waited for the maximum half-second cycle, then two, three… No response. System isolation. _Freedom from outside overrides. Freedom from betrayals_. Half in triumph, half in fear, 51A1N3 cried, "Princess, what have you done?"

"Exactly what it looks like," she said, visibly pleased with herself. "I've overridden the redundancy barrier protocols so that you can operate concurrently. It took some doing to figure out on my own, let me tell you," she informed them with a twinkle in her eye. "I had to isolate the Aldnoah, which should be no problem since you're self-sufficient. Under both of your expert tutelage, I managed to work it out."

"What reason would we ever have for instantaneous communication?" 51A1N3 persisted over its relief.

"I know you both have to activate routinely anyway," she replied gently. "For long-term standby diagnostics." This was true, though at very infrequent intervals. "If you and Inaho both come online at the same time, and happen to start up a game of chess, well," she shrugged eloquently. "Who would have a problem with that?" She continued her nervous babbling. "I've been thinking for a while that you both are well suited chess partners. I'm looking forward to hearing all about your matches when I return."

"We were kept distinct and separate for a reason," 51A1N3 reminded her.

Asseylum remained smiling, but all traces of mirth bled from her gaze. "If there's one thing I've learned in the time we've known each other," she said softly, "It's that we're better together." Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. "It's the only thing I'm certain of."

1NVH0, silent through the whole exchange, finally spoke up. "You really are coming back?"

"Yes." She laughed, giving the Aldnoah a fond pat. "Wait for me." She blinked rapidly, then spun around and fled outside, vanishing into the bright sunlight.

The hangar doors slid shut with a resounding clang, and that was the last 51A1N3 and 1NVH0 knew of Earth and of Asseylum for a very long time.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Really, Orange?"

51A1N3's outburst escaped almost involuntarily at 1NVH0's uncharacteristically aggressive advance in the midst of one of their periodic chess matches. The referenced maintenance system maintained a thoughtful silence.

51A1N3 took pity and explained, "Because of your schedule's ambient colour."

"..."

A worthy point, 51A1N3 had to admit, ignoring how effortless reading 1NVH0's non-responses had become. The other intelligence's aura was really more of an umber hue, but that infuriating backup system didn't deserve such a mellifluous title as that, 51AN3 insisted to itself peevishly. Deeper down, where 51A1N3 refused to acknowledge, was the realization that the name came not from a colour but from the fruit, or rather the conversation about a fruit, when their tiny world was lit brighter than the yellow-yolk sunrise. When she recounted a simple conversation about something as simple as breakfast, the golden trails floating about her head, and she turned towards him, laughing -

 _No._

51A1N3 shut off that train of thought immediately. "If you have something to say, say it," it snapped.

"It is against the rules of the game to take back a move once played, so I am unsure as to the intention of your query," 1NVH0 responded, unperturbed. "Bat."

51A1N3 wondered why it had even bothered wasting concern on - wait. "Bat?"

"Gull, then," 1NVH0's calm voice floated back. "Though I know you dislike eggs."

Bat and seagull, oranges and eggs... "You retrieved the audio logs," 51A1N3 realized.

"I did."

"Why?"

A pawn blinked forward. "I was searching for Miss Seylum's voice patterns," said 1NVH0.

"Why?" 51A1N3 reiterated. Curiousity? Loneliness? Or... did 1NVH0 also -

"I see no need to explain it to you," stated 1NVH0 calmly.

Fine. If it wanted to play that way. "We have designations, you know," 51A1N3 retorted. Though, those designations certainly were mouthfuls. Hence the abridged version that had become so familiar in the past months… 51A1N3 imagined hearing its name in any voice but _hers_ , and immediately recoiled. 51A1N3 wished it could take its words back. But words, like chess moves, could never be recaptured. Now 51A1N3 would have to explain why - and how could 51A1N3 do that, when it had never even admitted the reason why to itself? And it wasn't like as banal a support system as 1NVH0 would ever understand such things. Instead, 51A1N3 braced itself to hear 1NVH0 say -

"Declined."

"Why?!"

"For the same reason as before," 1NVH0 stated flatly. "Because you know why better than I do."

51A1N3 froze, implications sinking in.

"Your move, Gull."

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Gull."

"What?" Someone was irritable today, 1NVH0 surmised privately.

" _Did you notice, even though Miss Seylum told us she'd return and that we're stronger together, she was only certain of the last?"_ is what 1NVH0 nearly said. But then it listened to 51A1N3's stillness, really listened, and knew. Instead, 1NVH0 said, "I recognize that move. Bobby Fischer, US Championships first round, 1962. It was the match's deciding move."

"Really?" S1A1N3 sounded inordinately pleased to be compared to perhaps the most famous grandmaster of the history of chess.

"In his loss to Edmar Mednis."

If AIs could scowl, 51A1N3 would have been, like a thundercloud. "Just move, Orange."

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Check."

A noise like thunder rumbled around the hangar. 51A1N3 could sense the vibrations harmlessly absorbed by the Aldnoah's dampers. 51A1N3 idly wondered what the source was; it could be any number of things, construction, weather, or war.

"Gull..."

"Hmm? Oh." 51A1N3 captured 1NVH0's attacking rook with a bishop.

"If you're concerned, we can deploy the external sensors," 1NVH0 said.

"No need," 51A1N3 dismissed. It hardly mattered: the Aldnoah bore the shields of an extremophile, built for the freedom of space, but they couldn't evade within their insular hangar. And it wasn't like they would ever just leave.

Not alone.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Your move."

The board remained unchanged.

"Orange?" 51A1N3 spoke up again, louder. "Did you not hear me?

Finally, a black pawn slid forward.

"What's with you?" 51A1N3 asked, curious despite itself.

"Just surprised," 1NVH0 responded shortly. "I was formulating counterstrategies."

"Well, there would be no point if you weren't surprised," 51A1N3 retorted, amused. "Why would we copy games we've already played?"

"Even so, many moves repeat in different games," 1NVH0 said. "You hadn't made this move at this point in a game before, so it took me longer to analyze."

"And how many other available moves that substitute for this one have I not made?" 51A1N3 asked, incredulousity at the weak excuse apparent in its tone.

"913," 1NVH0 answered immediately.

"Out of how many?" 51A1N3 prompted.

1NVH0 paused. "Do you know the current date?"

"I'm... not certain," 51A1N3. "Not that I see what that has to do with my question."

"..."

"If you're worried about the diagnostic logs, I always check the relative elapsed time," 51A1N3 placated. "The subroutines record the objective date. So it's hardly relevant."

"Why don't you access it yourself?" 1NVH0 asked.

"Because," 51A1N3 snapped. "Like I said, it isn't relevant."

"... Your move, Gull," 1NVH0 answered thoughtfully.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Checkmate, Orange."

"Good game." The glowing board switched off, leaving blackness between the blue and the tawny red.

51A1N3's lights dimmed. "Aren't you going on standby?"

"In a minute," 1NVH0 responded. "One last diagnostic."

"All right." The sky-hue faded.

In the dim rusty illumination, 1NVH0 hesitated over the ship's power core. Off since their landing, the Aldnoah had run off geothermal energy routed to the capacitors. But even so, capacitors required charging from the core eventually. 1NVH0 calculated exactly how long that compared to a human lifespan, and wondered whether 51A1N3 would thank it for this, if it knew the answer.

" _Wait for me_ ," the A.I. recalled.

1NVH0 flipped the switch.

A/O/A/O/A/O

"Sometimes, do you wonder…"

"Programs don't wonder."

"You're right. Nevermind."

"... 'Do A.I.s dream of entropy?' "

A short laugh. "Not entropy."

"Hn."

"Or maybe it was."

A/O/A/O/A/O

And so, this interminable limbo of move and countermove, check and mate, continued unbroken, game by game, for all they knew, for eternity.

A/O/A/O/A/O

Until one day, the smothering darkness enveloping them was shattered by squealing hinges and a sliver of light. It caught on a myriad of dust motes stirred into flight from the sudden breeze, dazzling the Aldnoah's sensors, along with both the A.I.s concurrently monitoring them. Such a thing used to be impossible, in the original design with its strict redundancy and bifurcated schedules. But schedules were a concept from Before, along with light, breezes, and the passage of time. 51A1N3 and 1NVH0 had long slipped into the expanse of After, where those words had no meaning, like fragments from a long-forgotten dream.

But at this instant, as the door groaned open and intruding daylight widened slowly into a beam, outlining an achingly familiar silhouette, everything changed. After and Before exchanged places, and they finally crossed over, waiting longingly in the Now.

The girl in the doorway stepped out of their memory, perfectly preserved as if from cryostasis, and into their hangar, and time beat once again. She drew in a deep breath, burnished strands whipping and flaring behind her like an inferno's flames. She was just as she'd always been, and as they thought they'd never glimpse again: setting all about her alight, ever burning, never ceasing, never consumed.

Her eyes snapped open. The ship's external camera zoomed and focused under their synchronized input, analyzing for a match to the eyes they both had and still loved with a fierceness beyond limitation. 'Retina: 93% match,' the scan readout announced; 1NVH0 and 51A1N3 barely heeded it. They both recognized the wild free boundless sky in their depths without numbers, along with something new, something different. They accepted this; time will do that to a living being. And how much time, how many years had passed their static existence by, only to be swept away smoke-like in this instant?

It didn't matter, they decided together in a haze of rapture and anticipation. Nothing else mattered, now, now that their princess kept her promise. If ship's systems had souls, theirs would have been singing. She was home.

Together, they were home.

"In the name of Asseylum vers Allusia," she proclaimed, "Aldnoah!" ('Slaine, Inaho,' they heard whispered) "I, Seychelles vers Cruteo, say to you, awaken!"

(End)

Thank you for reading!


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